Footprint Puts Three-Race Streak On Line in British Columbia Derby

Canadian Derby (Can-III) winner Footprint puts his three-race winning streak on the line against a field that looks significantly tougher in the $200,000 British Columbia Breeders' Cup Derby (Can-III) at Hastings Park Sept. 23.

Despite his impressive 1 1/4-length win in the Canadian Derby at Northlands Park one month ago for trainer Joan Petrowski, the Kentucky-bred Gold Case gelding is no better than 4-1 on the morning line among the 10 3-year-olds expected to line up for the 1 1/8-mile B.C. Derby.

Footprint has earned $339,205, tops in the field, and will be guided once more by regular rider Real Simard. Before the Canadian Derby, they teamed to win the Ky Alta and Count Lathum stakes also at Northlands by a combined margin of nearly 13 lengths. Footprint has yet to miss the board this year with three wins, three seconds and a third in seven starts. The chestnut was purchased as a yearling at the 2005 Alberta sale for $12,000.

Favoritism is likely to go to Sir Gallovic, who has wowed observers at Hastings in his last two starts after beginning his career in New York. He's 8-5 on the morning line.

Purchased privately by Glen Todd and Patrick Kinsella after winning a $60,000 maiden race at Belmont on June 1, Sir Gallovic has won three races in a row and will have Hastings leading jockey Mario Gutierrez in the irons. In his most recent try for leading trainer Troy Taylor on Sept. 2, the Victory Gallop colt captured the 1 1/16-mile Richmond Derby Trial Handicap by seven lengths over the Hastings layout. Prior to that, the Kentucky-bred bay claimed an allowance win by 7 1/2 lengths.

Southern California shipper Celtic Dreamin, making his stakes debut for trainer Rafael Becerra, is a nose away from being undefeated in five lifetime starts. Three of his wins have come on synthetic racing surfaces, however. His last victory came by 1 1/4 lengths over allowance foes at 1 1/16 miles on Del Mar's Polytrack Aug. 22.
 
K.K. Sangara, who claimed Celtic Dreamin for $40,000 out of his debut win April 18 at Santa Anita, has been unsuccessful in four attempts at winning the B.C. Derby. The dam of the California-bred Game Plan gelding, Astral Dreamer, is a full sister to 1995 BC Derby winner Flying Sauce.

Besides Footprint, there are four others entered who ran in the Canadian Derby -- the maiden Gandolf (second), Ookashada (third), Amazin Blue (fourth) and Rage Till Dawn (fifth).

Gandolf made his first start outside of California in the Canadian Derby. He has been training at Hastings for Jason Orman and has posted a couple of solid work-out times.

Trained by Toni and Mark Cloutier, Ookashada, last year’s local juvenile champ, has won five of his 11 starts and has been out of the money just once in his career.

Amazin Blue won the Alberta Derby at Stampede Park in June for Terry Jordan and ran evenly in the Canadian Derby after shipping to Del Mar for a race five weeks earlier.

“He has started to pick it up a bit and I think he’ll be ready for a good effort in the Derby,” Jordan said.

Amazin Blue runs coupled with Another Kris for Jordan and owner Peter Redekop. The California-based Another Kris began his career with back-to-back wins and while he has won four times in nine lifetime starts, he has never been asked to go farther than a mile.

Jamaica Bound is trained by Washington's Jim Penney, whose barn won the 2004 B.C. Derby with Flamethrowintexan. Jamaica Bound has been in the money in seven of eight starts this year at Emerald Downs, where he finished second in the Emerald Downs Derby Sept. 3.

$200,000 British Columbia Breeders' Cup Derby (Can-III, Race 9, 5:25 p.m.), 3-Year-Olds, 1 1/8 Miles
PP. Horse, Jockey, ML Odds
1. Rage Till Dawn (CA), Francisco P. Fuentes, 30/1
2. a-Amazin Blue (KY), Quincy Welch, 8/1
3. Ookashada (BC), Justin Stein, 6/1
4. Sir Gallovic (KY), Mario Gutierrez, 8/5
5. a-Another Kris (FL), David Wilson, 8/1
6. Jamaica Bound (KY), Gallyn V. Mitchell, 10/1
7. Celtic Dreamin (CA), Gerry Olguin, 7/2
8. Footprint (KY), Real E. Simard, 4/1
9. Beckenbauer (KY), Felipe Valdez, 30/1
10. Gandolf (KY), Jake Barton, 10/1
a- Peter Redekop owned entry
Each assigned 126 pounds.